


Plus One Parenting Experience

by sherlockpond



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Accidental Pregnancy, F/M, Family, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Starblaster crew are v good, Unplanned Pregnancy, blupjeans, slight Angus McDonald, these nerds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 07:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15529314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockpond/pseuds/sherlockpond
Summary: Imagine standing in the toilet at the newly opened Neverwinter Fantasy Costo with a pregnancy test in your hands, the current test obnoxiously illuminated with a positive sign, trilling a polyphonic nursery rhyme at you whilst you try to wrap your head around *how the fuck* this happened.





	Plus One Parenting Experience

**Author's Note:**

> I am very ill and I can't believe I'm already posting another thing that I wrote.
> 
> All mistakes are my own, and like all of my university essays, I absolutely *did not* re-read this before posting.

Imagine having six people in your life who knew you better than you did. Six people who could read you like a book. How amazing and infuriating that would be. Imagine knowing you have a whole network of people undoubtedly standing behind you, ready to catch you if you fall, ready to pick you up when you’re down, and fight for you when you can’t.

Now imagine standing in the toilet at the newly opened Neverwinter Fantasy Costo with a pregnancy test in your hands, the last three tests having all shown positive readings, and the current test obnoxiously illuminated with a positive sign, trilling a polyphonic nursery rhyme at you whilst you try to wrap your head around _how the fuck_ this happened.

Well, Lup knows _how_ it happened, but she wasn’t expecting the _one time_ they didn’t take any precautions to end like this. Her hands are trembling a little she sits on the toilet seat, her mind reeling with so many questions.

 

Would she be a good mother? Did she even want to be a mother? Could she bring a child into her incredibly dangerous life? What about Barry?

 

_Barry._

 

He would be overjoyed. Lup imagines Barry with a small bundle in his arms and the image makes her heart clench and a small smile rests on her lips. Lup feels hot tears sting at her eyes as she imagines the three of them together, of a child that he both of their features: a small boy with messy darker auburn hair, olive skin and freckles, and then she imagines a little girl with long blonde hair and pointy ears, she’s a little chubby, and her eyes are warm like her fathers. But putting a child in a world like hers, what would that mean? Constant danger, threats and having to run from enemies.

Lup dabs her eyes with the corner or her robe and discards the test in the bin with the others, the music coming from it falters and stops, standing up she unlocks the door, checks her reflection and heads back to the Starblaster.

As she approaches, her heart starts the beat faster nervously, anxiety sitting low in her chest, thinking back to how she’d left things at breakfast that morning.

 

* * *

 

_Lup wakes to a sensation of nausea in her stomach, she gets out of bed as quietly as possible and heads down the corridor, the sensation growing worse and worse as she nears the safety of the bathroom. Reaching the toilet just in time, she retches and closes her burning eyes, feeling her meal from the night before leave her stomach. Pulling the toilet lid down, she rests her head on it, uncaring of the germs, just needing the support. The cold plastic cools her forehead, and she sighs - none of this is adding up to a good conclusion. It’s been more than 6 weeks since her last period and she’s been feeling out of whack for a week now, now there’s vomiting, two plus two in this case is slowly and surely adding up to the inevitable four. Splashing her face with cold water, she brushes her teeth and heads back to her shared room, slipping back into bed and making a plan._

 

_She needs to leave after breakfast with the least amount of suspicion. Eating quicker than usual, Lup excuses herself as soon as she’s done, finishing her herbal tea as she heads to the sink._

 

_“I’m heading to Fantasy Costco, anyone need anything?” she asks, ignoring the look Barry is throwing her way, he can tell something is wrong, she’s not been as chatty or as animated as usual._

 

_There’s a general consensus, they need a few supplies for the ship’s pantry and Magnus asks for some candy, Lup smiles and nods._

 

_“Well, I’ll see you all later, suckers,” she says pulling on her robe, satchel and heading out._

 

* * *

Lup enters the ship cautiously, looking around for any signs of her fellow crew. All is quiet, and she soundlessly makes her way to her quarters, trying to listen out for anyone heading in her direction. It’s tense, and at this point all she wants to do is nap, her bag is full of the promised supplies, Magnus’ candy and some vitamin supplements she’d grabbed on her way out of Costco but that stuff can all wait until later.

The second she gets to her room, she dumps her bag on the floor, pulls off her robe and boots before collapsing on the bed, passing out almost instantly.

 

When Lup wakes, there’s a figure sitting next to her on the bed, she blinks a few times.

 

“Taako?” she says, her voice rough with sleep.

 

“What’s up, Lulu?” he asks inquisitively “you’ve seemed a bit off lately, just wanted to know if there’s anything I can do to help,”

 

Lup brings herself up and leans against the headboard, she looks at her brother guiltily.

 

“I...ummm...found out something, and I’m sorry if you’ve been worried, but I’m just having a bit of a tough time digesting it. I just needed to get in the right frame of mind before I told anyone,” Lup explains, wringing her hands a little.

 

Taako looks at her, eyebrows raised “So you gonna tell cha’boy what’s up?”

 

Lup takes a deep breath and looks at her lap “Taako, I think I’m pregnant,”

 

There’s a beat of silence “You think or you know?” he clarifies.

 

“I’m like 90% sure I’m pregnant,” she answers, she gives him a sad smile “I guess that transmutation spell I had when I transitioned actually made everything A-okay down there,”

 

Taako makes a face “First off, ew, I don’t want to hear more about your girly area. Secondly, I mean, this is a big decision, what are you thinking? Does Barold know?”

 

“I didn’t know for sure until this morning, I was pretty beat when I got back in so I haven’t seen him yet,” Lup explains “do you think he’ll be okay? I mean, I know he’d be a great dad but I’m not sure if he wants right now,”

 

Taako ‘tsks’ and puts his hands on hers “Lulu, you listen to me. Barry will be fine. The main question is - are _you_ okay with this? Of course his input is vital, but this is going to be you putting up with this nerd child growing inside you. Are _you_ going to be alright?”

 

Lup nods slowly “I mean, I hadn’t really considered kids at all. That was waaay down the line. But ever since I found out, I can’t stop imagining a kid with Barry’s eyes and my freckles, or my hair and his chin. That image of us being a family. Taako, I didn’t know I wanted it until now.”

 

Her brother smiles “I think you’ve got your answer there, Lu,”

 

Lup gives him a wry smile “Huh,” she says “I guess I’m having a kid,”

 

“A nerdy kid,” Taako corrects, pulling her in for a hug.

 

Lup smiles widely “A nerdy, chubby, cute little kid,”

 

“Either way, those good Taaco genes are going to make sure it’s going to be drop dead gorgeous half-elf, for sure,” Taako assures her, and the two of them burst out laughing, dispelling some of the tension.

 

“Now I have to tell Barry,” Lup says pulling out of the hug.

 

“You’ll be fine,” Taako assures her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear “you’ll smash it, kid,”

 

“Here’s hoping,”

 

* * *

 

Barry arrives back at the ship about an hour later, he looks exhausted as he enters their room and Lup considers waiting until the morning, but she’s not sure she’d be able to sleep on the knowledge of what she knows, so she opts to stick to her plan.

 

He gives her a sweet, tired kiss to the top of her head.

 

“Hello, love,” he says gruffly, shrugging off his robe and laying it over a nearby chair.

 

“Hey there, stranger,” she says, patting the space next to her on the bed “good day? You been on recon with Lucy and Davenport?”

 

Barry nods “Yeah, went down to meet the locals, they seem nice enough. I brought back some food, they make these biscuits which are just unlike _anything_ I’ve ever eaten, god, Davenport had to stop me, they were just so good,”

 

“They sound good, Bar,” Lup says “you brought some back?”

 

Barry chuckles “Yeah, Davenport managed to stop me from eating them all, there’s some in the kitchen for the rest of the crew. They were just _so good_ , Lup,”

 

Lup laughs “I’m sure they are,” she pauses for a second “I, umm, actually have some news myself,”

 

Barry looks inquisitively at her “What’s going on?”

 

“You might want to sit down,” Lup suggests, patting the bed again.

 

“Yikes, this seems serious,” Barry says, now looking nervous “you realised that I’m just a nerdy, snack-loving idiot?”

 

Lup shakes her head “Babe, you _are_ a snack, but that’s not my news. Come over here,”

 

Barry rounds the bed and takes a seat “Lup, this is making me a little anxious,”

 

She takes his hands and threads her fingers with his “I know this isn’t great timing, and I know we live very dangerous lives, but I went to Costco earlier...and...well...I hope you’ve got enough biscuits because I’m going to be eating for two from now on,”

 

Barry looks dumbfounded and then looks down at her stomach, then back up to meet her eyes “You’re not - -?”

 

Lup nods sharply “Yup, got a baby Bluejeans brewing in there,”

 

Barry’s eyes widen “But how? We’re so careful?”

 

Lup wrinkles her nose “Remember the month before last when we got home from dinner and didn’t waste any time before getting nasty?”

 

Barry’s mouth opens and he looks like the dictionary definition of shock “One time? It just so happened that, that one time was all it took?”

 

Lup rolls her eyes “Babe, I don’t need to explain to you, a scientist, that one time is all it takes,”

 

“Well, yeah, but...holy shit...I’m going to be a dad,” Barry says, resting his head in his hands.

 

Lup nods, running her fingers through his hair soothingly “The best dad ever, though,”

 

Barry looks up and smiles, Lup takes his hand and puts it on her stomach, there’s nothing there at the moment, and there won’t be for a while, but it’s the sentiment that counts and she can feel her eyes prickling as she watches his eyes fill with tears.

 

“Are you sure about this? I mean, I’m not the one having to think about another person’s life constantly for the next 8 months,” Barry asks “of course I’ll be there to get whatever you need, but I completely understand if you need to properly think this over,”

 

Lup takes a second “Don’t get me wrong, it’s a surprise. But it’s good. I’m good. I’ve got you, Taako, and I’m 100% sure this kid is going to have like a _huge_ family behind it. So yeah, it’s scary, I’m nervous about what’s going to happen next, but I think with you and everyone else around me - I reckon I’ll be fine,”

 

The two embrace, and as they pull away, they share a soft kiss.

 

“Us. Parents.” Barry says, disbelievingly, resting his forehead against Lup’s “Mom and Dad, you and me,”

 

“Better believe it,”

 

* * *

 

They tell the rest of the crew at breakfast the next morning. Taako smiles knowingly and Magnus pouts.

 

“You knew already?” he whines

 

Taako rolls his eyes “Well, I am her brother, Mango, so yeah, weirdly, she told me before anyone else,”

 

Magnus gets up and pulls Barry into a bone crushing hug “Don’t worry about your kid, I’m gonna teach it to be super cool and teach it some sick fighting tricks,” he says, weirdly close to Barry’s ear.

 

Barry forces a smile and pats him awkwardly on the back “Uhhh...thanks Magnus, no doubt you’ll teach them how to be a fearless fighter,”

 

Merle smiles “Any issues with everything leading up to the big day, Lup, you let me know and I’ll try to find something to help you out. You guys are going to be awesome parents,”

 

Lup smiles “Thanks Merle, I get the feeling I’m going to need something for the morning sickness, this morning wasn’t pretty,”

 

Merle nods “I’ll get onto it right away,”

 

Taako raises his eyebrows “Look at the Cleric doing his job,” he remarks sarcastically, using a cantrip to pour himself more orange juice.

 

Said cleric shoots him a look and Taako smiles, deviously, Lup tuts and shakes her head, Davenport decides to take the opportunity to go next.

 

“Lup, Barry, I’ll make sure there’s a room on board for the little one, I’ve got some old maps we could use as wallpaper to liven it up a little,” he offers “I can’t say I’m used to being around kids, but I’ve put up with you all for nearly a hundred years, so if you need a night off, I’d be more than happy to baby sit,”

 

The pair smile broadly and the rest of the team look mildly offended, Barry looks at Lup and then looks back at Davenport “I get the feeling we might take you up on that offer,” he says.

 

Lucretia has, up until this point, remained silent and simply listened to her team congratulate the happy couple. She pipes up from her place at the far end of the table.

 

“I’d love to write a few bedtime stories for them, I’ve got a beautiful notebook that would serve very well to compile them in,” she offers “it’s not much, but - -,”

 

“It’s perfect,” Lup says, cutting Lucretia off before she can backtrack “thank you,”

 

Taako, inevitably, ruins the moment “You better believe I’ll be making some dope outfits for this kid, Lulu, we’re talking the whole she-bang, sparkles, rainbows, onesies, everything,”

 

The team all look at him, disbelievingly.

 

“What? You think that I’m going not going to contribute something, obviously better, than everyone else's’ gifts. Come on, guys, clearly I win this one,” he says a little obnoxiously.

 

They all roll their eyes and shake their heads at him.

“Taako always gets the last word, guys, never gonna change,” Taako says, double pointing his thumbs at himself and leaning back in his chair.

 

“Anyway, before Taako’s head gets so big he can’t stand up,” Lup begins, almost challenging her sibling “we’re heading to Fantasy Carter’s to start getting the basics. We’ll see you all later,”

 

Lup takes Barry’s hand and pulls him towards the door, he drags his feet for a second.

 

“Ummm...thanks for your support, guys, we really appreciate it,” he says gratefully, before Lup drags him away.

 

* * *

 

_Month 2_

 

Lup wakes up to Barry smiling dopily at her.

 

“You know it’s creepy to stare,” she grumbles, pushing her face further into the pillow.

 

“Well I blame your beauty on the fact I’m staring,” Barry says, reaching down to run his fingertips over the skin on her stomach, a very small bump beginning to form.

 

She smiles weakly before falling back into the comfortable sleepiness.

 

_Month 3_

 

“I swear to Pan, Bluejeans, if I don’t get some damn pizza rolls soon I think I’m going to die,” Lups says, hurling at pillow at Barry who ducks under the sofa.

 

“Alright, alright, I’ll run to Costco, just promise me you won’t threaten anyone else whilst I’m out,” Barry says, reappearing from his hiding spot and he sees Lup’s wild eyes.

 

“All. I. Want. Is. Pizza. Rolls.”

 

* * *

 

_Month 4_

 

“Merle says everything looks good,” Taako says, bringing his sister a cup of caffeine free coffee.

 

“Yeah, man, little guy looks good,” Lup says, rubbing her stomach.

 

“You still set that it’s going to be a boy?” Taako asks, smiling.

 

“I can just feel it.”

 

* * *

 

_Month 5_

 

“I’m a whale. How can I possibly get any bigger? I’ve still got like 4 months, I could _double_ in size. I don’t think that I can handle that. I already find it hard to sleep, Barry, how am I going to _cope_?”

 

Barry smiles “We’ll figure something out, love, don’t worry.”

 

* * *

 

_Month 6_

 

“I’m taking you out for dinner,” Barry says, trying to sound as suave and romantic as possible “the reservation is for 8, so put on something nice...umm...not saying you don’t look nice normally, I mean more nice...well...like dinner nice...just, wear whatever you want, it’s a posh place, I’m sure you’ll look lovely,”

 

Lup just stands in front of him, dressed in a baggy hoody that grows taught across her stomach, stretchy leggings and fluffy slippers.

 

“We’re going out?” she says, brow creased.

 

“I thought it might be nice to go out, get some food. We’ve been doing so well, I wanted to treat us.” Barry says, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

Lup sees through his facade, and narrows her eyes “What’s going on, Bluejeans?”

 

“Nothing,” Barry says, looking down at his shoes.

 

“Barry,”

 

“ _Nothing_ ,”

 

“ _Barold_ ,”

 

Barry looks up and tries to look innocent “C’mon Lup, don’t ruin the surprise,”

 

“Aha! There _is_ an ulterior motive!” she says, punching the air.

 

Barry closes the bedroom door and speaks low.

 

“The others are planning a baby shower, they need us _out_ for the evening. Come on, let’s just have a nice night out. And please, _please_ don’t let your brother know, I fear for my life around him right now, and if he knows I said anything, regardless of whether or not I’m the child’s father, he might _actually end my life_ or do _far worse_ ,”

 

Lup giggles “Yeah, yeah, tough man, I’ll stick on a rad dress and you can wine and dine me,”

 

* * *

The meal is nice, and unsurprisingly, for a 6-month pregnant elf, Lup looks next-level incredible. Shimmering eye-shadow, a floor length, navy dress with a low back, and her comfy boots discreetly hidden under her dress.

 

Their empty plates have been removed and Lup can see a sheen of sweat across Barry’s forehead.

 

“You okay, babe?” she asks, offering her napkin discreetly.

 

“Yeah, yeah, just warm,” Barry says, his leg is tapping the floor.

 

“Yeah, you seem pretty chill to me,” Lup replies, unconvinced.

 

Barry pauses for a split second and looks at her “You know I really love you, right?”

 

Lup looks around the room and she feels very, very confused “Um, yeah, babe, why?”

 

Barry reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small, velvet box. Lup’s eyes widen.

 

“Oh,” she says.

 

Barry smiles “My mother left me her engagement ring when she died, and I had it altered so that it fit your style a little more,” he opens the box and inside is a perfect circular almost disk shaped ring, a solitaire diamond set with a band of platinum holding it in place over the face of it.

 

Barry doesn’t get onto one knee, he doesn’t draw any attention to the table, he just pushes the small box nearer to Lup and quietly says “Lup Taaco, I never thought I would meet anyone like you, and if I did, I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have them stand beside me like you do. When I was younger, before I joined IPRE, I used to think love for me would be a person who would put up with me, someone who settled for me and I’d spend my life wondering if they would leave me, because I’d never feel good enough. You taught me I was good enough, and you taught me that love wasn’t about settling, it was about being equal, and I never thought I was going to ever have that. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else, and now we’re going to start a family, I want to be able to know we’re a team in this because I get the feeling this kid is going to be a handful,”

 

Lup’s eyes are sparkling and she’s smiling widely, a big, goofy, toothy grin.

 

“You’re such a hopeless romantic, Bluejeans,” she says quietly, shaking her head “if I wasn’t 6 months pregnant, I’d 100% be crawling across this table to smooch your fucking brains out, but considering the cargo, I might wait until later to do that.”

 

Barry looks like he’s not breathing “Sooo, that’s a yes?” he rasps

 

Lup laughs and nods “Oh, and yeah, totally, let’s get hitched,”

 

* * *

 

_Month 7_

 

Lup lays splayed on the bed, the fan pointed directly at her.

 

“I’m melting,” she moans

 

“You’re fine, it’s just your hormones, Merle’s cooking something up that’ll stabilize you by the end of the day,” Barry says, pressing a cold compress to her forehead.

 

“Barry, I’m going to dissolve into the bed,” Lup says, dramatically flinging her hand to her forehead and looking away, Barry laughs and smooths her hair down and moves it off her forehead, smiling at the glittering engagement ring looped on a chain around her neck.

 

“I’m butter,” Lup laments “and the mattress is a breakfast waffle,”

 

“Lup,”

 

“I am the proverbial egg on the sidewalk,”

 

Barry cocks an eye at his fiancee.

 

“You’re letting this happen, Barold, you soon-to-be wife is _becoming_ a part of the mattress and you’re just _watching_ ,”

 

Barry gets up and starts walking out the room.

 

“No, babe, wait, no - - I didn’t meannn ittt!”

 

Chuckling, Barry heads to Merle’s quarters, hoping the potion is nearer to being ready.

 

_Month 8_

Lup is crying, she’s weeping profusely and Barry can’t seem to console her.

 

“What if I’m no good?” she says wetly, thick tears running down her face “what if I can’t handle being a mother?”

 

Ah.

 

“What if I can’t do it? I didn’t know my Mom long enough to learn how to be a good mother, what if I’m not cut out for it?” she gasps between sobs.

 

Barry rubs her shoulders “You listen to me, you’re an amazing person, capable of things that no one else could even think of. Don’t you even consider for one second that you won’t be able to do this, I’ll be right here with you, we’ll work it out. Together.” Barry reaches for a blanket and wraps it around her “Parenting isn’t all about what you learn from your parents, it’s about how _you_ want to do it, from my experience, you can use as little or as much of that as you like. We’ve got this, Lup, we got this.”

 

_Month 9_

 

The waiting is insufferable. Barry keeps running his hands through his hair and if he keeps it up, he’s going to wear away his hair, and he’s very fond of the hair he has left because his Father went bald young and he doesn’t want - - -

 

“ _BARRY_!”

 

Breaking him from his trail of thought it Lup, sweaty, upset, hurting and currently in her fourth hour of labour, Lup.

 

“Make it _stop_ , Barry, why did we think having a kid was going to be fun?”

 

Barry picks up a fresh towel and tries to soak up the moisture from her face. He’s kitted out in the full hospital like attire, and Lup is lying on a hospital bed, in a room on the Starblaster, currently throwing insults at anyone who tries to help her.

 

Every time she screams in pain, Barry wants to help, he wants to use magic to help, but as Merle has already pointed out, using any untested magic at this point would be dangerous, and only pre-made potions and pain relief are allowed until the baby arrives.

 

“DO SOMETHING!” Lup shouts and hits her hand on the bed.

 

Barry gestures in a way to say ‘like what?’ and looks, confused, at her.

 

* * *

The labour carries on for 2 more hours and Barry thinks that if he managed to go through that, then marriage and raising their child is going to be a breeze.

 

* * *

The two of them are sitting on the bed, a small bundle in Lup’s arms. The first thing Barry noticed was the ears, small, but definitely pointed, undoubtedly half-elf, half human. The second was a thick amount of slightly darker than auburn hair.

 

“Perfect,” Lup says tiredly.

 

“Because you are,” Barry says and she looks up at him, tired, but like she can’t believe he’s real.

 

They sit in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the sensation of family settling around them.

 

Lup whispers something at the child in her arms and Barry doesn’t quite catch it.

 

“What did you say?” he asks softly.

 

“I told him that we’re always going to be there for him,” she says “and I think I have a name,”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Lup smiles and strokes one finger across the small child’s cheek.

 

“Angus,”

 

It’s perfect.

 

“Angus, it is,”

 

* * *

Fin

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks guys, each kudos makes me feel a little bit better.
> 
> sherlockpond.tumblr.com


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